Tournament poker is undeniably one of the most exciting ways of playing the game. There are huge amounts of money to be won thanks to the big fields which tournaments often attract, while anyone can buy in for a relatively small amount and be in with the shot of winning a comparatively large amount of money. With their appeal clear, entering the world of online tournament poker can be overwhelming as there are so many different tournaments to choose from. Differing in game type, chip structure and speed, tournament poker comes in various forms:

Single-table tournamentsMore commonly referred to as a ‘sit & go’, a single-table tournament is a game featuring 10 or less players in which you compete to win a percentage of the overall prize pool. Finishing in first place will yield the biggest reward, while smaller amounts of money can still be won by finishing in lower positions. Unlike in cash games where blind structures remain fixed, tournament poker is characterized by increasing blinds over set periods of time which cultivates a game dynamic that is constantly changing.

Multi-table tournamentsPlayed over multiple tables due to having a large player pool, this type of tournament brings with it a proportionally larger cash prize than that of a single player tournament. These games can run for extended periods of time – often lasting over 8 hours for big events – which means that you have to be prepared to sacrifice a good deal of time if you are hoping to win.

FreerollsAs the name implies, a freeroll tournament is one which requires no actual money in order to register, but still offers real cash prizes to its winners. This type of tournament is popular with newcomers to poker as it is a great way to grow your bankroll without having to risk losing any money. Freerolls can be entirely free to enter and open to all players, or alternatively they often require an entry ticket which may be achieved by either depositing at a site or by achieving a certain loyalty status at a particular online poker room.​SatellitesA satellite tournament is an event where players compete for entry to a larger event at a discounted price. Because of this, they appeal to those who want the chance to compete for the huge cash prizes that a high buy-in tournament offers without having to fork out the cash to do so.​​

​A true veteran in the world of online poker, PartyPoker’s longevity is not without reason. With multi-table tournaments starting from next to nothing at just $0.01, anybody and everybody can get involved with the game without having to worry about going broke. If you are an experienced poker or someone who enjoys the rush of high-stakes poker, you have not been forgotten about; with the weekly $530 Sunday Major that has a colossal prize pool of $100,000, you can win life-changing amounts of money in just a few hours.

What makes the PartyPoker app unique is its vast offering of different game types; players can choose between Hold ‘em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo and 7-card Stud. Low buy-in tournaments run daily for each of these variants, meaning that you can take your time to enjoy learning new games without stressing about losing your bankroll.

​On top of giving back to its players by hosting daily freerolls where you can win cash for nothing, PartyPoker runs a loyalty scheme where you can exchange loyalty points that you have earned for entries to real money tournaments. Given these rewards, alongside a 200% welcome bonus to all first-time depositors, it is clear that you are highly valued by PartyPoker when you use their iPad app.​

​A relative newcomer to the online poker room scene, Unibet is growing in popularity due to its high-quality service and impressive tournament offerings. With buy-ins for multi-table tournaments starting from only €0.01, even the most casual players can get a feel of what it is like to run deep in a poker tournament.

Don’t be fooled though; Unibet has considered experienced players too, offering €100 buy-in games frequently and providing Omaha tournaments for those well-versed in poker variants outside of Hold ‘em. Sit & go games are delivered in the form of 5-max and heads-up tables, meaning that action is inevitable with few players competing for one prize.

​Making Unibet’s poker app unique is the option for players to change their table identity up to three times per day (name included), so you can create a new alias if you think someone has figured your strategy out. Dozens of challenges and achievements are listed so that you can easily track your progress as you development your ability as an online tournament poker player. When you consider these intriguing developments made by Unibet alongside the many freerolls and inexpensive satellites that run on a daily basis, the poker app delivers a refreshing and rewarding tournament poker experience for tablet and mobile users alike.​

Though smaller in terms of player traffic than Bet365 and PartyPoker, Sky Poker offers many of the same features as its larger competitors. There is a vast array of stakes available (starting at £1.10 for multi-table tournaments and only £0.30 for certain sit & go’s) as well as a variety of games and formats – players can enter Hold ‘Em, Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo tournaments with regular, turbo and hyper-turbo structures available.

​What separates Sky Poker’s iPad app from others is its provision of free strategy videos that often include the valuable insights of professional poker players. These can be accessed on the home page of the lobby by clicking the ‘Sky Poker YouTube’ tab and are very useful for players who are new to the game and are looking for some tips on how to succeed in online poker tournaments. With daily freeroll tournaments and a loyalty reward scheme that rivals that of PartyPoker, on top of one of the most generous promotional offers around in the form of £10 free money when you first join, you’d be foolish to look past Sky Poker’s excellent app.